As thousands of runners prepare themselves for this year’s London Marathon, pupils at a primary School in Suffolk have held their own mini event is aid of a cause close to their school’s heart.

Yougsters from Palgrave Primary School take part in a mini marathon around the village sports field to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Picture: Nick Butcher

On Friday, April, 20 more than 80 pupils at Palgrave Primary School, near Diss donned their trainers and took part in a mini marathon to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Challenging themselves to see how many laps of the playing field they could run in half an hour, the school was inspired to hold the event by Kev Cook, who’s wife Julie Cook is a teaching assistant at the school.

On Sunday, Mr Cook, from Gislingham, will take part in the London Marathon in memory of his son Jack who passed away in 2015 aged 18.

Will Munday, a teacher at the school said the grand total raised by the mini marathon was expected to be more than £200: “I’m very proud of the children, they have really got behind it” he added.

Yougsters from Palgrave Primary School take part in a mini marathon around the village sports field to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Picture: Nick Butcher

Mr Cook, who will join thousands of other runners on Sunday’s start line for what will be his first marathon said he was not a natural athlete.

He said: “I’m apprehensive but I think with all the support I have received from the charity, friends and family it’s a good apprehensive.

“I think about Jack every single day. It’s hard, but the support from family and friends has been brilliant.

“Jack would have been very much going for it and saying you’re doing what?”

Yougsters from Palgrave Primary School take part in a mini marathon around the village sports field to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Kev Cook gets ready to run with the youngsters. He is running the London Marathon in memory of his son Jack, who sadly died of cancer.
Picture: Nick Butcher

The 47-year-old, who has already raised £5,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust and hopes to raise a further £4,000 from the marathon, said the work the charity did was vital.

“It’s a brilliant charity, Jack was in Addenbrooke’s and the whole set up was just geared towards them, from nurses to consultants and health care assistants, they were so patient with him,” he said

On the efforts of the pupils of Palgrave Primary, Mr Cook said: “I feel really proud of them, and it’s nice that they have gone out and the sponsorship in memory of Jack.”

To support Mr Cook visit: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/KevinandJackCook